Just One Day
by Jack E. Peace
Summary: Aubrey knows that she sounds ungrateful and she's not. She's really not. But is it too much to ask to just…stop and look at the shops and the street vendors and the people? Do they have to rush from monument to museum, doing everything in the stupid guidebook? (AU)


**Disclaimer: **Characters are not mine. The title comes from the book of the same name by Gayle Forman and there are a few small similarities between that novel and this story but only a few itsy-bitsy ones. So it's not cheating, right Pip?

**A/N: **Okay so I was in a bit of a writing rut so I put up a prompt request for people to send me a place, a pairing and four random words. And it was so fun! I want people to do that more often! Anyway...this story is most definitely for my darling escape-fic, who gave me the place and these words to work with: macaroon, American, sheets and bridge. I hope I have done you proud!

**"Just One Day" **

"Can you just…_try_ and keep up?" Brad's tone and body language betray the exasperation that he feels as he looks as his younger sister. "Come on Aubrey."

Aubrey adjusts the strap of her purse and jogs across the street to join her brother and his equally impatient looking girlfriend. "I'm sorry." She mumbles.

"What were doing anyway?" Brad questions, setting a brisk pace as they start walking down the sidewalk toward their next destination.

Aubrey shrugs, quickening her pace in order to keep up with Brad and Molly. "Just looking at that bakery over there." She gestures vaguely in the direction they just came from. "They have these really delicious looking macaroons and-"

"Eating that stuff will make you fat, Aubrey." Molly interrupts, her tone chiding. "You really can't be too careful."

Brow knitting, Aubrey looks down at herself; she's got the Posen penchant for height and her mother's long legs and her years of dance have kept her trim and lean. She would probably be okay to have a macaroon or two. But she knows there's no point in arguing with Molly; apparently she's had a few modeling jobs in New York City which, according to Brad, are pretty hard to come by. So she's clearly the expert. Plus Aubrey learned a long time ago that arguing with the people in her family will get her nowhere.

Which is why she didn't even bother to argue when her father informed her that she was going to be going on this European vacation with Brad and his girlfriend the summer before her last year of college. Which is why Brad didn't argue with their father even though it was painfully obvious that the idea of having his twenty-year-old sister tagging around Europe with him and his girlfriend was one of the worst he'd ever heard. And since they'd gotten to London three days ago, he'd done nothing but make Aubrey feel horrible for being a part of this trip that wasn't even her idea in the first place. And not much has changed since they got to Paris. Of course she likes the idea of being able to go to London and France and Germany and all these amazing places but she's not crazy about being with her asshole of an older brother. She would probably be happier by herself, but her father would never go for that and, by extension, neither would Brad. So here she is, following Brad and Molly and keeping up with their schedule.

Aubrey knows that she sounds ungrateful and she's not. She's really not. But is it too much to ask to just…stop and look at the shops and the street vendors and the people? Do they have to rush from monument to museum, doing everything in Molly's stupid guidebook?

They're currently on their way to The Musée d'Orsay to see the impressionist paintings and Aubrey tries to take in as much of her surroundings as possible as she hurries along after Brad. She doesn't know when she's going to have another chance to just come to Paris or any other country because once she graduates in a year, she's off to law school and then her father's law firm and her father is not going to think it wise to indulge in things like travel. Aubrey knows it's stupid, but she wants to have a real experience here, not just all the touristy things and the same stories that everyone tells. College has thus far proven to be disappointing, because she can't count one friend among the thousands of other students that she goes to school with and she knows that law school is going to be the same and then what? Is it so bad to want to do something memorable and important?

They cross the bridge that will take them to the left bank of the Seine and to the museum and Aubrey slows her pace just enough to see the boats passing underneath and the people on the bank of the river. There are just so many people everywhere, so many tourists and natives and children and painters and couples and the air is thrumming with energy and excitement and Aubrey wants to take it all in and find a way to remember it. But she's hurrying after Brad instead and they're on the other side of the bridge in no time and, once again, immersed in a throng of people.

There are shops and cafes everywhere and people on the streets with kiosks selling flowers and bread and scarves and just everything and Aubrey wants to stop just to take it all in. She can't help but slow her pace a little to look at the people and the trees and the flashes of color from the clothes and the fabrics and the food. The trees sway overhead, shivering in the strong gust of wind that blows through the city. Flags snap in the breeze and some of the bouquets sold on the street corners start losing petals. The people at the metal tables outside the cafes close their books and sketchpads to keep the pages from fluttering in the breeze. Aubrey tries to smooth down her hair as it twists around in the breeze but it seems like a lost cause.

Aubrey turns to follow after Brad and Molly but finds herself with a face-full of vibrant blue fabric instead. She stops, yanking the offending object off her face and is surprised to find herself holding a scarf.

"Hey! That's mine. Sorry!" A voice calls from somewhere in front of her and Aubrey looks up to see a smiling girl jogging in her direction. She stops in front of Aubrey and gives her a crooked grin. "Sorry. I guess I didn't tie it tight enough."

Aubrey hands her back the scarf. "It's okay." She tells her, hoping that she doesn't look obvious as she takes in the girl in front of her. Her cheeks are flushed, undoubtedly from trying to catch her scarf, and her rich auburn hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. But most intriguing are her eyes, which seem to sparkle as much as the smile on her face.

"Thanks." The girl continues to smile at her and Aubrey isn't sure if she's supposed to smile back or what she's supposed to be doing right now. She feels her ears start to get hot and she hopes that also goes unnoticed. "I thought stuff like that only happened in movies, you know?" Aubrey gives her a quizzical look. "You know, the scene where two love interests meet in some ridiculous inane way and-" She quickly stops, realizing what she just said and laughs, shaking her head. "Okay, ignore all of that. I don't know what I'm talking about." She holds her hand out. "Hi. I'm Chloe."

"I'm Aubrey Posen." Aubrey shakes her hand, feeling like an idiot for being so formal.

Chloe's smile brightens. "Oh, you're American. I wasn't sure before, but you don't have an accent." She remarks. "Me too. Obviously." She rolls her eyes at herself. "Are you spending your summer backpacking across Europe too?"

Aubrey shakes her head. "Not exactly. I'm here with my brother and-" She pauses, her eyes going wide. "Shit." She looks around but there is absolutely no sign of Brad or Molly. In fact, the crowd feels a little claustrophobic all of the sudden and Aubrey feels a momentary stab of hopelessness at the idea of ever finding her brother in the crush of people. And, of course, her phone is back at the hotel. She never has anyone to talk to, so she often abandons it while it's charging without even thinking.

Chloe's brow knits. "What's the matter?"

"I can't find my brother." Aubrey tells her. She's trying not to panic. Because she's twenty-years-old and perfectly capable of figuring this out in a calm and rational manner. So what if she's in a strange city in a foreign country where she doesn't speak the language? It's not like she's in the middle of Africa or anything. This is Paris. She can figure this out.

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere." Chloe tells her reassuringly. "I can help you look, if you want."

Aubrey looks back at the redhead. "That's okay." She says, even though she really wouldn't mind having someone else around. "I'm sure you have more important things to do with whoever you're here with."

Chloe shrugs. "I'm not with anyone else." She tells Aubrey. "I came by myself."

Aubrey feels a stab of envy. As much as she wishes that she was on this trip alone so she could follow her own itinerary, she wonders if she would actually be brave enough to do it. "You're here by yourself?"

Once again, Chloe just shrugs. "Yeah, I was going to..." She hesitates and then shakes her head. "Yep. Just me."

Aubrey feels like she should say something but she doesn't know what. And, anyway, why bother trying to press this girl for information anyway? They've only known each other for two minutes.

Chloe doesn't give her the chance to say anything anyway. "So, let me help you find your brother. Where were you headed?"

"I'm not sure that's the best idea." Aubrey mumbles. "We could just get even more separated. Maybe I should go back to the hotel and get my phone…"

"We could do that too." Chloe shrugs, looping her scarf around her neck once more.

Aubrey gives her a curious look. "You want to do that?" She questions. "It would be a total waste of your time. There's probably a million better things that you could be doing right now."

Chloe waves her hand dismissively. "Not really. I like having adventures and this sounds like an adventure to me." She smiles at Aubrey and Aubrey wonders how it's possible to have a smile so beautiful and warm.

"I'm sure it's not." Aubrey mumbles. She's never had an adventure before in her life and she doubts that going back to the hotel is going to be considered an adventure.

"Let's go." Chloe surprises Aubrey by linking their arms together and looking at her expectantly. "Lead the way, Aubrey Posen."

Something tells Aubrey that protesting won't help. And somehow having someone with her makes her feel more capable of handling this problem. She'll go back to the hotel, get her phone, call Brad and find somewhere to reunite. And yeah, he's going to be royally pissed at her. But, he could have easily waited for her when he noticed she was gone or tried to find her. So the whole thing isn't Aubrey fault.

Aubrey starts walking back toward the bridge that will lead them back to the other side of the Seine. This time her pace isn't quite so hurried because she's not trying to catch up with Brad and Chloe doesn't seem to be in any rush.

"So what brings you to Paris, Aubrey Posen?" Chloe questions as they walk along. Her arm is still linked with Aubrey's, resting comfortably in the crook of her elbow and Aubrey doesn't feel the need to pull away just yet.

Aubrey shrugs. "My brother wanted to go to Europe with his girlfriend. He just got a really important job at some big accounting firm in New York and he wanted to celebrate. My dad thought it would be a good idea if I came too, you know, like a sibling bonding experience. But Brad doesn't want me here at all and his girlfriend is such a bitch. She treats me like I'm just some huge pain in the ass."

Chloe wrinkles her nose. "That sucks. Maybe they ditched you." Aubrey doesn't say anything and Chloe blanches. "I was totally kidding. Geez, that wasn't even close to being funny. I'm sorry Aubrey, I'm sure that's not what happened."

Aubrey sighs. "Maybe it is. I dunno." She mumbles.

"Then you should ditch them too." Chloe tells her frankly.

Aubrey shakes her head. "I can't do that. My dad would kill me."

Chloe arches an eyebrow. "Your dad isn't here…"

"I…" Aubrey quickly shakes her head. "No, I can't do that. We should go back to the hotel and just get my phone." She says decidedly.

"Sure." Chloe nods. "What's your favorite thing that you've done so far?"

Aubrey opens her mouth to respond but finds herself coming up empty. "I…we've…" Her brow furrows. "We've just been going to a lot of different museums and…I mean….the Eiffel Tower was pretty cool. And in London we saw Big Ben…"

"I haven't seen the Eiffel Tower." Chloe tells her. "I mean, aside from, you know, just seeing it hanging out in the distance."

Aubrey arches an eyebrow. "You haven't gone to the Eiffel Tower yet?"

Chloe shrugs. "It's so predictable. That's what everyone does when they come to Paris. See the Eiffel Tower, check. See the _Mona Lisa_, check. See Notre Dame, check. I want to do stuff that only actual Parisians do." Chloe laughs a little and shakes her head. "That sounds stupid, right?"

"No, not at all." Aubrey quickly shakes her head. It's amazing how Chloe's words mirror her thoughts from earlier. "I…I think that would be really cool."

Chloe wiggles her eyebrows at Aubrey. "Sure you don't want to ditch your brother? I know this really amazing place to get lattes and they have lunch too and I am _starving_."

Aubrey hasn't had anything to eat since the hurried breakfast that they had at the hotel. Right on cue, her stomach growls. "I…" She glances over her shoulder, like she expects to see Brad and Molly back there, matching expressions of annoyance on their faces. But there's nothing but the crowd. "Yes. Let's do it."

Chloe grins. "Awesome! You're going to love it. I think I've eaten there like every day since I've been here."

Now it's Chloe's turn to lead the way and it's totally different than following Brad and Molly around. Chloe pauses often and her enthusiasm is infectious. She wants to stop a look at everything, every street performer and street vendor, every cart selling flowers and sweets, every child toddling along after their parent, every street sign and every shop. Aubrey just follows her around, laughing at Chloe's attempts to speak French to the people she meets. Sometimes Aubrey puts her own rudimentary French to the test and they manage to make themselves understood most of the time. It's a totally different experience from following Brad along and Aubrey already feels lighter and more excited to be here.

Finally they get to Chloe's café and the place is small and crowded but somehow it doesn't feel stifling to Aubrey. She studies the handwritten menu hanging on the wall above the cashier and the counter and glass display of pastries but Chloe shakes her head. "Trust me, you want to get the Croque Monsieur." She tells her. "It's heavenly. I'm," she laughs a little at herself, "I'm practically salivating just thinking about it."

Aubrey smiles at her and nods. "Okay, if you say so."

When they finally reach the counter, Chloe orders for both of them, getting a whole litany of food that Aubrey isn't even sure how they're going to manage to eat just between the two of them. When Aubrey actually sees all the food laid out on their table, she's even more doubtful that they'll be able to make a dent. There's croissants and quiche and pan de chocolate and, of course, the Croque Monsieur that Chloe insisted they get. And, just like Chloe predicted, it's all absolutely heavenly.

While they eat, the conversation progresses easily and the pauses feel natural and not at all awkward, which is a surprise to Aubrey because she feels like silences are always awkward whenever she tries to make conversation with anyone. But with Chloe, it's just as effortless as actually holding the conversation. Aubrey is surprised how easy it is for her to talk about herself. She tells Chloe about her plans after graduating college and about the dance classes that she's stayed committed to since she was a little girl.

"Oh so you like to dance?" Chloe questions around a mouthful of pan de chocolate and Aubrey rolls her eyes at the fact that she's talking with her mouth full but she nods anyway. "Have you been to a lot of ballet performances?"

Aubrey shrugs. "A few. My parents don't really think it's a 'worthwhile endeavor.'" She uses the phrase that she's heard come out of her father's mouth countless times throughout her life.

"We should go see the ballet theatre here." Chloe remarks. "I don't know if we can actually get in to see a show because I bet tickets are ridiculously expensive but it would be cool to see the space."

Aubrey considers this for a minute. There's a voice in the back of her head (one that sounds remarkably like her father's) that's telling her that she needs to be responsible and go back to the hotel and call Brad. But that is sounding less and less appealing with each passing second. What _does_ sound appealing is going anywhere and doing anything with Chloe. Besides, it's just a little past lunchtime so she still has plenty of time to find Brad and Molly and start making her apologies.

"Okay." Aubrey nods. "But I have no idea how to get there."

Chloe shrugs. "I passed it the other day. I bet I can get back there again."

Aubrey has always been one for solid plans. This is not exactly a solid plan. But for some reason it still sounds like a good one to her. They leave the café and head back out into the populated city streets and once again Aubrey lets Chloe take the lead. While they walk, Chloe tells Aubrey about her own college experience, which includes, among other things, an acapella singing group, a failed attempt to rush a sorority and a drunken swim in the on-campus fountain. Once again, Aubrey finds herself envious of Chloe. How, exactly, does someone become so out-going and vivacious? Where was Aubrey when those personality traits were being handed out?

Aubrey tries to get her bearings as they weave through the streets and maneuver around pedestrians and cars and bicyclists but she finds herself just getting confused as she looks at all the street names. There's no way she's going to be able to keep them all straight. Or, if she's being honest, figure out how to get back to her hotel from here. Well…it's too late to turn back now so…

They manage to find the Opera National de Paris purely by chance. Aubrey has the suspicion that they've been walking in circles but Chloe doesn't seem bothered by this and then suddenly there they are. The building is massive and a bit intimidating, a lot like something you would expect to see in an old movie set during a revolution. The columns and designs on the face of the building are beautiful and ornate and Aubrey can't help but just stand there and stare for a minute. Luckily there are countless other people doing the same thing: snapping pictures and marveling at the size and beauty of the building.

Aubrey notices that Chloe is looking at _her_ instead of at the building and when she meets the redhead's gaze, Chloe grins at her and Aubrey feels herself smiling back. Chloe's smile is beautiful and infections and it fills Aubrey with something she can't quite find a name for, something that she's never been privy to before but she likes nonetheless.

"It's beautiful." Aubrey says when she realizes that she's just standing there smiling like an idiot and staring at Chloe. Chloe grins a little wider and for some reason, Aubrey feels like blushing. She looks back at the Opera National de Paris instead. "I bet it's beautiful inside." She adds, hoping to chase away some of the embarrassment that she suddenly feels.

Chloe's grin turns mischievous. "Let's find out."

Aubrey shakes her head. "No, I mean, I doubt they'll let us in and…we don't have tickets…plus…" She gestures to herself. Her clothes are most definitely not suited to be anywhere near a place that fancy.

But Chloe just dismisses her protests. "It's the middle of the day. I doubt anyone will care. It's probably open for tours and stuff anyway." She starts up the massive stone steps outside of the entrance and then pauses to look back at Aubrey. "Are you coming, Aubrey Posen?"

And, for some reason, Aubrey Posen follows after her.

They walk past the people standing around, posing for pictures and checking their guide books and Chloe marches right up to the doors and walks inside. The interior of the place takes Aubrey's breath away. She stares at the marble floors and the gorgeous double sweeping staircases that lead to the floors above them. And she gapes at the ornate designs and arches carved into the stone above their heads and just how outlandishly elegant everything is. It's hard to imagine ordinary people coming to a place like this to see the ballet. It seems like only the kings and queens of the past should be able to walk through the front doors.

Chloe starts toward the staircase but Aubrey grabs her hand and pulls her backward. "Where are you going?" Her voice is barely above a whisper. The place is quiet around them and it seems like it would be a mistake to speak at a normal volume right now. Plus, you know, she doesn't want anyone to know that they're in there when they probably aren't supposed to be.

"Don't you want to see the stage?" Chloe questions, entwining her fingers with Aubrey's and pulling her toward the staircase.

Aubrey tries to plant her feet. "No, I don't think that's a good idea." She argues. "I mean, we've already seen the inside. That's amazing, right? We should probably leave and go back to the hotel so we can-"

But Chloe just pulls her forward. "We're just exploring." Chloe assures her. "What's the harm in that?" Aubrey wrinkles her nose. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"We could be arrested and thrown into some Parisian jail." Aubrey points out. "That's pretty bad."

Chloe shrugs. "Where's your spirit of adventure, Aubrey Posen?"

Aubrey purses her lips. "Trying to stay out of jail." She informs the other girl.

"We'll be fine." Chloe assures her, tugging Aubrey forward once more. "I promise." She winks at Aubrey.

For the life of her, Aubrey has no idea why she follows Chloe. She's barely known her for two hours and yet, here she is, tagging along like she doesn't have any sense in her head. She doesn't know what it is about Chloe that's so impossible to resist. But all Aubrey knows is that Chloe's like the physical embodiment of that adventurous spirit that she'd been wanting to have so desperately earlier that morning. Chloe is that real experience that she'd been eager for.

And so Aubrey follows Chloe up the stairs. Because you can't want something and then refuse to take it when it presents itself.

Though, as they make their way toward the actual theatre space, Aubrey is getting more and more sure that they're not supposed to be here. They can hear music coming from the theatre and one of the doors is propped open so they're able to slip inside without calling attention to themselves.

On the stage, the company is rehearsing for whatever production they'll be putting on later that night. Aubrey finds herself transfixed by the movements of the dancers, how they move so effortlessly, so fluidly, like they're part of the music itself. She considers herself a talented dancer and she's earned the praise of her instructors since she was young. But she'll never dance like this. It's almost not even dancing, it's something more ethereal, something like magic.

Aubrey jumps, surprised, when Chloe reaches for her hand and Aubrey realizes that she's been standing in the middle of the aisle just watching the dancers. Chloe directs her to the row of seats in the very back and they sit down quietly and watch as the rehearsal unfolds.

"Have you ever thought about being a professional dancer?" Chloe leans in close to Aubrey so avoid being heard over the sound of the music and their faces are centimeters away from each other. Close enough to…what? Aubrey doesn't finish that thought.

Aubrey shakes her head. "No, never."

Chloe arches an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"I…I can't dance like that." Aubrey whispers, her eyes flicking back toward the dancers on stage. But she looks back at Chloe seconds later, transfixed by the other girl's proximity.

Chloe smiles at her. "I bet you dance beautifully."

"You've never seen me dance." Aubrey points out. She's always found compliments from strangers to be pointless and pandering. But, for some reason, it doesn't sound like Chloe is just throwing those words out there. She sounds sincere.

Chloe shrugs. "I just have a feeling." She tells the blonde. "Plus I think you're beautiful so it just makes sense."

Aubrey feels her cheeks grow hot and she looks away from Chloe quickly, pretending to focus her attention on the dancers on stage. But she's too busy thinking _no one has ever said to me before_ to really pay attention to the movement on stage.

Suddenly, Aubrey feels a hand on her shoulder and when she glances up, she finds herself looking at the very displeased face of a bespectacled man. He says something to them in French and even though Aubrey can't understand, she can tell from his tone that he is not very happy.

Aubrey just shakes her head and Chloe gives him an innocent smile and he does not seem very impressed by either of them. He repeats himself in French and Aubrey manages to stammer out, "Nous ne parlons pas français" which does not seem to make the man any happier.

He gestures for them to get up and follow him out the door and Aubrey and Chloe stand and dutifully walk out of the theatre and back toward the sweeping marble staircases. In spite of Aubrey's previous words, the man is still speaking to them in French and indicating that they need to follow him down the hallway. But Chloe grabs her hand and runs toward the staircase, dragging Aubrey after her. The man shouts for them to stop but they don't look back, somehow managing to make it down the staircase without slipping and breaking their necks and when they make it back outside again, Aubrey is surprised to find that she has a huge grin on her face and laughter bubbling in her throat.

Chloe is smiling as well and just holds Aubrey's hand tighter as they continue to hurry down the sidewalk, away from the Opera National de Paris. Once they're a few blocks away, they finally stop and Chloe sits down on the curb and Aubrey drops down beside her.

"That was awesome." Chloe throws her head back and laughs and Aubrey is pretty sure that she's never heard a sound so beautiful and melodic. It's perfectly suited for Chloe.

"I thought we were going to jail." Aubrey says, somehow managing to laugh even as she struggles to catch her breath. "I was trying to figure out what I was going to tell my dad." She shakes her head. "My only hope was that he was going to be more upset at Brad for losing me."

Chloe grins at her. "Yeah, but aren't you glad to be lost?"

Aubrey smiles and nods. "Yeah, I'm pretty glad actually."

"Good." Chloe says, bumping Aubrey's shoulder with her own.

"So do you always do crazy stuff like that?" Aubrey questions. "Breaking the rules and doing whatever you want? I wish I could be that brave."

Chloe shrugs and her smile fades a little bit. "I…I just think it's important to live in the moment." She says, glancing down at her hands instead of at Aubrey. "So you don't have to look back and wish you had done something differently."

Aubrey purses her lips, biting back the question on her tongue. The question that is begging to be asked but doesn't seem right. The question of what really brought Chloe to Europe all by herself in the first place.

So, instead, Aubrey just asks, "So, where to now?"

Chloe looks over at her once more and some of the light has returned to her eyes. "We should just walk around and see where that takes us." She suggests. "You never know what we might find."

Aubrey nods. "Okay, sounds good to me."

They stand up and Chloe picks the direction and they just start walking. Aubrey doesn't even bother to pay attention to the names of the streets that they walk down; she's given up trying to orient herself and figure out where she is and how she's going to get back to the hotel. It really doesn't seem to matter so much anymore.

"So you want to be a singer?" Aubrey returns to the conversation they started on their way to the Opera National de Paris. Chloe had mentioned majoring in vocal performance and, of course, performing with her college's acapella group. Chloe nods. "What if that doesn't work out?"

Chloe shrugs. "I figured that I could move to a big city somewhere, like L.A. or New York and do temp jobs until I got my big break somehow." She tells her. "It happens all the time."

Aubrey purses her lips. "Sounds like it could be really hard, though." She points out. "Struggling like that."

"Yeah, maybe. I mean, probably. But I still…I dunno I feel like I have to try." Chloe answers and that far away look comes back to her eyes and, in spite of the short amount of time that they've known each other, that look makes Aubrey sad.

"You don't want to wish that you did something different, right?" Aubrey says, reciting Chloe's earlier words back to her.

Chloe smiles and nods. "Exactly, Aubrey Posen." She reaches out and takes Aubrey's hand and even though Aubrey is surprised by the gesture, she doesn't pull away. She doesn't want to. It feels nice to have Chloe hold her hand; her skin is soft and warm and the touch is comforting. "What about you? When did you know that you wanted to be a lawyer?"

"Oh, well, my grandfather was a lawyer and my father is a lawyer. He works at the firm that my grandfather started." Aubrey replies.

Chloe arches an eyebrow. "Okay, but that didn't answer my question." Aubrey looks at her quizzically. "I asked when you realized you wanted to be a lawyer."

Aubrey opens her mouth and then closes it again, suddenly feeling taken aback by Chloe's question. "I…guess I never really thought about it. It was just the sort of thing that I knew was going to happen. My grandfather, my dad and then me."

"But what about your brother?" Chloe questions. "You said he's an accountant, right? If he didn't go to law school, why do you have to?"

"That's all the more reason for me to go." Aubrey mumbles. "Someone has to continue at The Posen Firm." She shrugs. "Law can be interesting."

Chloe just gives her that arched eyebrow look again. "So you like it then?"

Aubrey considers. "Most of the time." She admits. "It's not so bad. I don't like the rigidity of everything, how the next few years of my life are already planned out. College and then law school and then the firm. I wish there was more freedom." She looks surprised by her words. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. I've never told anyone that before."

"It's because I'm a stranger." Chloe tells her. "It's easier to talk to someone you know you're never going to see again."

Aubrey has no idea why that seems so depressing. She doesn't know why the statement catches her off guard. Of course she was never going to see Chloe again after this. She has no idea where Chloe lives or goes to school or, really, anything about her. She's just someone that happenstance happened to bring into her life. Of course she'll disappear again just as quickly.

"You don't feel like a stranger." Aubrey tells Chloe truthfully. "You feel…" Aubrey can't find a way to finish that sentence without sounding like a total idiot so she stops herself. "You don't feel like a stranger." She says again instead.

"You don't either." Chloe confesses and when she gives Aubrey's hand a squeeze, Aubrey feels something akin to electricity travel through her veins and straight to her heart.

"You should tell me more about yourself." Chloe continues. "You know, so you're really not a stranger."

Aubrey shrugs. "There's really nothing much to tell." She admits. "I…I'm not an exciting person."

Chloe gives her an incredulous look. "I don't believe it." She tells Aubrey. "You're lost in Paris with someone you just met. That's pretty exciting."

"Well I've never-" Aubrey stops, Chloe's words registering. "Wait…lost?"

Chloe gives her a sheepish smile and shrugs. "I mean…I'm not _entirely _sure where we are right now but…I'm sure we'll come upon something familiar eventually. I mean, we have to, right?"

The idea of being lost in Paris without her phone or a map or the slightest inkling of where she is should send Aubrey into a fit of panic. It would send _anybody_ into a state of panic, she assumes. So why does she feel only the mildest stab of worry? What's wrong with her? She figures that it probably has something to do with the fact that having Chloe's hand in hers is muddling her thoughts and making it hard to focus on anything other than the erratic way that her heart is beating and the way that her stomach is churning.

"Do you have a map?" Aubrey questions, because it seems important to be pragmatic in these types of situations.

Chloe shrugs and shakes her head. "I've been doing okay so far."

"Well…I'm sure you're right." Aubrey says. "I'm sure we'll eventually come across something familiar."

As they continue to wander from street to street, the conversation shifts back toward Chloe's previous line of questioning. "So, if you had more time, Aubrey Posen, what would you do with it? If you could do things your way?"

Aubrey considers this question carefully. She's never really given it much thought, considering that she doesn't have the luxury of doing things her way so why bother to think about what she would do if she did? But the past few days have pretty much cemented that answer in her mind. "I would like to travel. Like really travel. Take my time and only move on from place to place when I was ready." She wrinkles her nose and scoffs. "That sounds stupid. What a cliché answer."

"I don't think that's stupid at all." Chloe assures her. "I think that actually sounds pretty awesome. I want to travel too and see everything. I want to have great stories to tell."

Aubrey looks over at her. "I'm sure that you already have a lot of amazing stories to tell." She says honestly. Chloe seems like the type of person who radiates amazing and interesting. At least, that's how it seems to Aubrey.

"I hope so." Chloe shrugs. "There are still a lot of things that I want to do that I haven't had a chance to do yet."

"Like what?"

Chloe looks at her and, if Aubrey's not mistaken, her cheeks get slightly pink. "Maybe I'll tell you someday." Her tone is slightly teasing.

"What happened to the whole it's easier to talk to someone who's a stranger thing?" Aubrey questions.

Chloe shrugs. "You don't feel like a stranger so much anymore, so I guess I have to have some secrets."

Aubrey smiles and blurts out, "I'd like to know your secrets." She instantly regrets this particular course of action. "I'm sorry." She says quickly. "I don't know why…I'm not good with people sometimes." She admits.

The smile on Chloe's face is a little hard to discern and Aubrey wonders what it would be like to see a smile or an expression and know exactly what it meant. To be able to read Chloe like that. Or anyone really. She's never had an intimacy like that with anyone before; she's never known someone well enough to know what they were thinking but not saying. She's never had anyone know her like that.

"Maybe people just aren't good with you." Chloe remarks. Aubrey just scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Seriously. My mom used to say-" But she stops before she can finish that sentence. Aubrey looks at her expectantly but Chloe just swallows and shakes her head as though to clear the thought. "Never mind."

Aubrey wants to know that secret. She wants to know Chloe well enough that Chloe doesn't even need to finish her thought and she'll know it anyway. Aubrey doesn't know when she suddenly became the type of person who wants to get to know a stranger but there you have it.

Even though it's still early afternoon, it's starting to grow steadily darker and when Aubrey looks up, she sees grey clouds beginning to collect overhead. They look ominous and the air feels heavy with the anticipation of rain. Aubrey knows it's stupid but she doesn't want to mention the possibility of a storm for fear of jinxing them. Like she can somehow control what the weather is going to do.

They continue walking and Aubrey finds herself trying to pay attention to the street names and the places around them again in hopes that it will help her get her bearings. So no longer cares about being anywhere specific or trying to find Brad, but it would still be nice to know where they were at.

And then… "Oh, this is the street that my hotel is on!" Aubrey says, pleased with herself for recognizing the name. "I kinda know where we are now."

"See, I knew we'd figure it out eventually." Chloe winks at Aubrey.

"Well, we might as well grab my phone since we're already here." Aubrey suggests, leading the way once more. "That way I can tell Brad that I'm not dead and I'll just meet him at the hotel later."

Chloe arches an eyebrow. "You don't want to try and reunite with him?"

Aubrey flushes and shakes her head. "I'd rather…" She looks away from Chloe. "This is better." She mumbles.

"I'd rather be with you too." Chloe assures her and the blush in Aubrey's cheeks deepens. But it's nice, in a way.

They walk into the lobby of Aubrey's hotel and Chloe lets out a low whistle. "This place is about a thousand times fancier than the place that I'm staying." She remarks.

Aubrey shrugs as they walk through the spacious lobby and toward the elevator banks. "My father insisted that we stay at a nice and reputable place." She tells Chloe as she pushes the button to the appropriate floor. "He would have had a heart attack at the idea of his kids staying in some cheap hotel."

"But that's part of the fun." Chloe argues.

"I know." Aubrey agrees. "But not according to my father. He couldn't possibly see the appeal of staying in a hostel or some place like that. He already lectured me for hours about the dangers of going to foreign countries."

Chloe nods. "My dad didn't want me to go by myself either but…here I am."

"Must be nice." Aubrey mumbles without meaning to give voice to her thoughts. Chloe gives her a confused look and Aubrey feels like she has no choice but to elaborate. "If I disobeyed my father…it would not be pretty."

"Yeah, I'm sure my dad was pissed, but he'll get over it." Chloe remarks.

Aubrey looks at her, incredulous. "You didn't tell him you were leaving?"

Chloe shrugs, looking slightly guilty. "I left a note…" Aubrey just shakes her head but there's that familiar stab of envy, lurking just below the surface. "It was just something I had to do, you know? Don't you ever have moments like that?" She asks as they step off the elevator.

"Even if I did, it wouldn't matter." Aubrey tells her. "I couldn't just ignore my father."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Chloe asks again, just like she did when they were at the Opera National de Paris.

Aubrey opens her mouth to respond and is surprised when she can't formulate a response. What _is_ the worst that could happen? She would have disappointed her father and that would feel pretty horrible. But would it be worth it? That's a question she can't answer because her entire life has been structured around the idea of doing everything she could to keep from disappointing her father. She wonders what it would feel like to do her own thing for a chance.

Chloe smirks but doesn't say anything. It seems as though she's willing to let Aubrey's inability to reply speak for itself.

Aubrey opens the hotel room with her key (glad that she insisted that she have the spare instead of Molly even though Brad said that they were always going to be together so what difference did it make) and pushes the door open for Chloe. Once again, Chloe lets out an appreciative whistle. "I think your dad might be on to something, actually." She remarks. "I've been staying in a tiny room with like five other people and the springs in the mattress are always stabbing me in the back whenever I try to get comfortable. Also, sharing a bathroom really sucks."

Chloe flops down on Aubrey's bed and stretches out, closing her eyes and smiling contentedly. "Yep, not too shabby."

Aubrey smiles at her and rolls her eyes. "You'd probably rather be crammed in that room than put up with Brad and his stupid girlfriend." She assures Chloe. "Maybe I'll join you."

"Fine, but I like to sleep on the left side of the mattress." Chloe remarks and then covers her face with her hands, laughing. "I didn't mean to imply…"

"It's okay." Aubrey assures her quickly. "I know what you meant." She's glad that she's facing away from Chloe so Chloe can't see how that simple comment has her face flaming bright red. Mostly because it doesn't sound like a horrible idea at all.

Aubrey picks up her phone and unlocks it. She just stares down at the device in her hands until Chloe rolls over and asks her what's wrong. "Brad hasn't called. Not once." Aubrey tells her, turning to face the redhead. "Not even a text message."

Chloe sits up. "Maybe he left his phone too." She suggests.

Aubrey shakes her head. "No, I know that he has it." She tells Chloe. "Plus he would never be that irresponsible. He just doesn't care that I'm gone." She tosses the phone back onto the nightstand.

"I'm sure that's not it." Chloe says, getting off the bed and walking over to where Aubrey is standing.

"You don't know my family." Aubrey mumbles. "It's less about affection and more about obligation." Chloe puts a hand on her shoulder and Aubrey just shakes her head. "It's fine. I'm not surprised."

But Chloe just pulls Aubrey into a hug and it takes about five seconds for Aubrey to overcome her surprise and return the embrace. Normally, Aubrey isn't the type for physical affection. She gets that from her parents. But she's not in any rush to move away from Chloe.

Unfortunately it happens anyway and Chloe gives her a smile. "Well, screw him, right? Let him go off with his stupid girlfriend and do their stupid touristy stuff. We're having fun, right?"

Aubrey smiles and nods. "Yeah, we're having fun." She agrees. "Who needs him." _I have you_. She's glad that she manages to keep from adding that part.

Aubrey puts her phone in her back pocket so that when she finally does reunite with Brad, he can't use the argument that she didn't have her phone. _Well, screw you Brad_, Aubrey thinks as she follows Chloe out of the hotel room. _I'm actually having fun for the first time_.

"So what do you want to do now?" Aubrey questions once they're standing out on the sidewalk again. She casts a glance toward the sky once more and the clouds have yet to dissipate. In fact, it seems like they're growing more foreboding with each second.

Chloe starts to shrug but then she stops herself. "I…I actually have an idea." She says, almost shyly and Aubrey nods and Chloe leads the way once more.

They walk in silence for several minutes, though Aubrey feels like Chloe is struggling to say something. She has no idea what makes her think this, considering that Chloe is still more or less a stranger and she's never had trouble expressing herself before. But Aubrey can't shake that feeling anyway.

Aubrey is surprised to find that Chloe has lead them to the bakery that she was looking at earlier that morning, the one that she didn't have the chance to go into thanks to Brad and Molly and their schedule. But they don't go in right away. Chloe has that far off look in her eyes once more and Aubrey stands their patiently while her new friend tries to figure out what she wants to do next.

"Okay, so, this is going to be horribly depressing but I'm going to tell you anyway but you have to promise not to be depressed because I don't want to be sad. I don't want any of this day or this trip to be about feeling sad, okay?" Chloe says suddenly, looking at Aubrey. Aubrey nods quickly. "I've been telling myself that, that I'm not allowed to feel sad. So…got it?"

Aubrey nods again. "Yeah, I got it." She assures Chloe.

Chloe takes a deep breath and nods. "Okay. Good. So three months ago my mom died. She was at the ATM one night and some asshole shot her. And it sucks. And I'm still so angry." Chloe goes through all this in a rush, her words running together but her meaning still discernable to Aubrey. Aubrey doesn't say anything, she just listens. "We were going to go to Europe together, this summer. We had everything all planned out, we'd been talking about it since I started college and we were both just tired of waiting so we were going to do it this summer. And that's why I had to come, even though my dad didn't want me to. Because it was something that I was supposed to do with my mom and now it's something that I'm supposed to do for myself." Chloe's voice cracks slightly and she takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

"Chloe-" Aubrey begins, reaching out to take her friend's hands.

But Chloe just shakes her head and pulls her hands away. "No, you promised." She smiles slightly and blinks the tears out of her eyes. "Remember? You're not allowed to be sad. My mom wouldn't have wanted me to spend my entire trip being sad and missing her, even though I do. She would have wanted me to be happy and do whatever I wanted and have fun."

Aubrey nods because it's clear that that's exactly what Chloe wants her to do.

"Anyway," Chloe swallows and blinks away the last of her tears, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I just told you all that. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Aubrey assures her. "I'm glad that you did. Remember, you can tell strangers anything." She smiles at her friend.

Chloe rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "You're not a stranger anymore, Aubrey Posen." She assures her. Aubrey smiles and so does Chloe, in spite of everything.

"So, anyways…one of the things that my mom wanted to do in Paris was get macaroons from a bakery here. She loves…loved macaroons. They were her favorite. And someone told her that the ones in Paris are so different than the ones back home and so that was what she really wanted to do. She didn't care about the Eiffel Tower or Norte Dame or whatever. She just wanted macaroons." Chloe takes a deep breath and presses on. "And I wanted to get some because that's what she wanted but I haven't been able to bring myself to actually go inside any of these bakeries even though it's stupid because it's just a bakery but…" She trails off, shaking her head. "It's stupid."

Aubrey looks at the bakery entrance behind Chloe and it all makes sense now. "Well, then what are we waiting for?" She takes Chloe's hand and pulls her toward the door.

Inside the bakery, it smells heavenly and Aubrey's mouth starts watering. She's never been one for sweets, because she wants to try every single thing in this store. Every piece of chocolate, every pastry, every tart, every macaroon. It all looks too amazing to pass up.

Chloe seems to agree because, between the two of them, they order enough sweets to last them for the next several days. But Aubrey knows that they won't last that long, because these are the kinds of things that you eat fresh and right away. The kind of things that you savor.

The woman behind the counter boxes up their pastries and treats and Aubrey and Chloe walk out of the bakery once more, and Aubrey thinks she's going to miss the heavenly smell. She doesn't know how the people can stand to work there every day and not eat everything they create. Maybe Molly was on to something after all.

They're close to the Seine and the bridge that would, in theory, lead Aubrey to her brother but she doesn't spare a thought about reuniting with Brad and Molly. She knows how to get back to the hotel. What does she need him for anyway? They walk onto the bridge anyway and lean against the stone railing and Aubrey tries not to think too much into the fact that Chloe is standing so close to her that their shoulders and arms are touching.

Chloe opens the box of macaroons and gives one to Aubrey and takes one for herself and they both take a bite. Aubrey has to admit that these taste pretty delicious. Though it's hard to say if she's feeling biased because of how she feels about everything else right now; how happy she is to be with Chloe, how much fun she's having, how lucky she is to be in Paris right now. It's enough to make anything taste delicious.

"So, what's the verdict?" Aubrey questions, looking over at Chloe. "Better than the ones back home?"

Chloe shrugs and finishes the last of her macaroon. "I don't know. I've never had one before. I actually hate them."

Aubrey laughs and shakes her head. "Well, I guess that's just another experience you can cross off your list." She remarks. "'Ate disgusting macaroons on a bridge in Paris.'"

Chloe smiles and nods. "That's number twelve, how did you know?" She laughs.

"So what's number one?" Aubrey questions, reaching in the box for a small piece of chocolate in the shape of cow. They might as well eat the stuff before it goes bad if you ask her.

"Well, I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you." Chloe replies.

Aubrey rolls her eyes. "Wow, that's original." She mumbles. "And here I thought you were above clichés, Miss I'm Too Cool For The Eiffel Tower."

Chloe sticks her tongue out at her. "A little cliché every now and then is okay." She informs Aubrey frankly. "That's _why_ they're clichés. Because sometimes they're awesome."

Aubrey shrugs. "If you say so."

They stand on the bridge and watch the people around them. Aubrey finds herself watching Chloe out of the corner of her eye more often than she watches the boats below them or the people on the bank. Chloe is more intriguing. There's so much that she suddenly wants to say to her new friend but she forces herself to bite down the words in order to honor Chloe's wish to not let this day and this trip be tainted with sadness.

So she settles instead of saying, "I think you're the most amazing person that I've ever met." Normally she would keep those words and that thought to herself. She's never been particularly good with speaking her mind or vocalizing her feelings because she was never encouraged to do so growing up. But it seems important to tell Chloe now.

Chloe looks at her, surprised. "You're crazy." She informs Aubrey frankly.

Aubrey just shakes her head. "No, I'm serious. I think you're amazing." She feels her mouth go dry and she clears her throat. "I…thank you."

"For what?" Chloe raises an eyebrow.

"Letting me follow you around all day." Aubrey answers. "Giving me a break from my brother. Helping me do something real."

Chloe smiles at her and slips her arm around Aubrey's waist. "This has been the best day of my trip so far." She admits.

Aubrey nods. "Mine too." By a long shot.

They sky overhead rumbles, signaling that, in spite of Aubrey's best efforts not to think about rain, that it's probably going to storm anyway. Chloe and Aubrey look up in unison, along with the majority of the other people passing by. Thunder rumbles again, louder this time and somehow more threatening and Chloe wrinkles her nose. "Maybe we should take shelter." She suggests.

Aubrey nods. "Lead the way."

They move back in the direction they came, joining the crush of other people as they seek shelter of their own or just carry on about their day as normal. Even though there are plenty of places to duck into, Chloe and Aubrey keep walking and for some reason, it doesn't occur to Aubrey to complain or suggest they really do find somewhere to stay dry. Even though it's thundering more frequently now and the occasional flash of lightning brightens up the sky. She doesn't want to be stuck inside some café or restaurant when she feels like there's still so much to see and so much to experience.

One of the streets they turn down appears to be more residential and there are clothes lines strung from wall to wall, sagging under the weight of bed sheets and different articles of clothing. There are bikes and motorized scooters leaning against the walls and flower pots and shoes collected outside of the doors on the ground floor. It's beautiful in the way that only daily life can be.

Chloe runs her fingers along one of the sheets as they pass by. "Somebody better come and get all this stuff, otherwise I think washing them will prove to be pointless."

Aubrey nods her agreement as she studies a pile of children's shoes organized messily outside one of the apartments. She wonders where those children are now and what they're doing.

Lightning flashes again and a loud rumble of thunder follows immediately after and Aubrey jumps slightly. "Hey, Chloe, maybe we really should find somewhere before it starts raining."

But seems as though Aubrey can jinx them after all. Because no sooner are the words out of her mouth than it starts raining. With another clap of thunder, the clouds seem to open up and the rain falls down in sheets, drenching Aubrey and Chloe and the laundry and everything around them.

Chloe laughs, looking up at the sky and pushing her wet hair away from her face. "Guess it's a little too late."

Aubrey rolls her eyes but she's smiling as well.

Chloe grabs her hand and takes off running again, pulling Aubrey along behind her. They reach a café with a wide awning and the fact that the café seems to have already closed its doors means that they'll be able to take shelter there without anyone chasing them away. Aubrey looks over at Chloe, who still has a smile on her face and delight in her dazzling blue eyes.

And she can't help herself. It's like she's somehow managed to turn off the part of her brain that always manages to talk her out of impulsive actions because she leans in and kisses Chloe, putting her hands on the side of her face and pulling the redhead closer. Aubrey has only been kissed once before, the first and only time she attended one of the dorm parties at her college and it was lackluster and disappointing. But this, this is every cliché and poem she's ever heard rolled into one. This is eating macaroons in Paris on a bridge overlooking the Seine and sneaking into the Opera National de Paris. This is how it feels to dance and know every step is perfect. This is the best day of her life rolled into one simple and perfect gesture.

When Aubrey pulls away, her heart is pounding in her chest and she feels a little bit dazed and out of breath. She can't quite read the expression on Chloe's face and she suddenly feels a stab of panic. Oh God. What if she had been misreading everything? What if she's just ruined everything? See, this is why she's not impulsive!

"I'm sorry." Aubrey says quickly. "I just didn't want to look back and wish I had done something differently." She uses Chloe's words from earlier in hopes that that will somehow help smooth this whole situation over.

But Chloe just steps toward her and kisses her again, pushing Aubrey against the brick wall behind her. One hand slips through Aubrey's damp hair, the other rests against the curve of her hip. Aubrey sighs and closes her eyes and Chloe's lips taste sweet from the macaroons and it's overwhelming in the best possible way.

Aubrey's not sure how long they stay like that, pressed against the side of an empty café, their lips teasing and exploring as the rain comes down around them. But she wants to savor every minute, wants to remember every second. Chloe's touch and smell and the soft sounds that she makes are searing themselves into Aubrey's memory and everything is perfect.

"That was my number one." Chloe says finally, her tone slightly breathless.

They're still close together and Aubrey has her arms around Chloe and Chloe is absently playing with Aubrey's hair. "What was?" Aubrey feels a little dazed, otherwise she's sure that she'd be able to make the connection on her own.

"I wanted to meet someone on this trip that I felt connected to, someone that I wanted to kiss." Chloe explains, smiling up at Aubrey. "Somebody who wanted to kiss me too."

Aubrey pulls her in for another kiss. "I want to kiss you too." She murmurs against Chloe's lips.

And so she does.

* * *

Eventually, the rain peters out to a manageable drizzle and Aubrey and Chloe leave the shelter of their awning and brave the Paris streets once more. Despite the weather, there are still hundreds of people out walking around, braving the rain to do a little more sightseeing or just go about their evening routines.

Chloe suggests they stop and get something to eat and they find themselves in a small Italian restaurant and the dim lighting only contributes to the feeling of intimacy. They look through the menus in comfortable silence and Chloe reaches across the table and takes Aubrey's hand without looking away from her menu. Aubrey traces patterns on her hand with her thumb and smiles to herself behind her menu.

"Do you believe in destiny or fate or whatever?" Chloe questions after they've given the waiter their order. "Like things happening for a reason?"

Aubrey shrugs, thinking the question over. "I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it. I mean the only things that really happen to me are the things that my father wants to happen." Sad but true.

Chloe purses her lips as she thinks about her own inquiry. "People said stuff like that to me after my mom died. I thought they were such idiots. Like it was supposed to happen that way?" She grimaces and shakes her head. "But I'm not really sure whether I believe in that kind of stuff or not."

Aubrey arches an eyebrow. "What makes you think about that now?"

With a faint smile, Chloe just shrugs. "I'm not sure. I was just thinking. Like, I never would have thought about anything like this happening today. And if you hadn't caught my scarf then none of this would have happened." She shrugs again. "It's just interesting to think about."

"So you think that it was destiny, or whatever, that we were supposed to meet each other?" Aubrey questions, unable to keep the skepticism out of her voice.

Chloe wrinkles her nose. "I don't know. It sounds silly. I was just thinking out loud."

Aubrey considers the idea. "Maybe…maybe it's not silly." She admits. "But…I mean…what happens next? I mean can people be destined to meet each other for just one day?" That question of what happens next has been repeating over and over in her head and she's afraid of the answer. She's also afraid of how badly she wants a very specific answer.

Chloe shrugs. "Why not?" She questions. "Lots of important stuff happens in just one day. Sometimes that's all it takes."

Aubrey frowns, her brow knitting. "But…what if just one day isn't enough?" She mutters, looking down at the tablecloth.

Chloe gives her hand a squeeze and Aubrey looks up once more. "I think that things always have a way of working themselves out."

"So it sounds like you kinda do believe in the whole idea of fate." Aubrey remarks.

Chloe shrugs. "Yeah, I guess. I think that most things happen exactly the way that they're supposed to."

Looking back on this entire day, Aubrey feels inclined to agree with that assessment.

* * *

It's dark and still drizzling when Aubrey finally returns to her hotel room. Her heart feels heavy from parting ways with Chloe but at the same time, she feels like smiling. She caught sight of herself in the reflective doors of the elevator and almost didn't recognize the person she saw there. Smiling, bruised lips, damp clothes, messy hair. Who is this person?

She can still hear Chloe's parting words repeating in her head as she unlocks the door to the hotel room. "I'll see you around, Aubrey Posen."

"Tomorrow?" Aubrey had asked, unwilling to let Chloe slip out of her arms just yet.

Chloe had smiled and winked. "Maybe."

For some reason, that was enough for Aubrey. The possibility that she might see Chloe again, that chance that they'd run into each other. The idea of things happening the way they're supposed to.

Aubrey is still smiling to herself when she walks into the hotel room and Brad instantly jumps to his feet, glaring at her. "Aubrey! Where the hell have you been?!" He all but shouts at her.

Aubrey just sighs, taking off her purse and dropping it to the ground beside her bed, which is still slightly messy from where Chloe hopped on it earlier. "I'm sure you were really worried." She mutters.

"Of course I was worried!" Brad protests. "You just disappeared! In a foreign country! We had no idea where you were!" Molly nods her agreement from her spot on the bed, looking appropriately concerned.

Aubrey pulls her phone out of her back pocket and holds it up for Brad to see. "You could have called, you know." She remarks, tossing the phone onto the bed as well. Brad gapes at her and says nothing. "I'm going to take a shower." She gathers up her pajamas and college sweatshirt and heads for the bathroom.

"Well…" Brad trails her for a minute, standing in the doorway, watching Aubrey as she puts her stuff out on the bathroom countertop. He somehow manages to look both impressed and annoyed with her at the same time. "Where have you been? What have you been doing?"

Aubrey catches sight of herself in the mirror again and smiles. "Everything."

* * *

They stay in Paris two more days and, in the end, Aubrey doesn't run into Chloe again. She tries not to let it get to her but she can't help but look for the redhead at every turn. She looks for her in every crowd, at every bakery and flower stand and café. But she never manages to spot her again. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. Maybe one day was all she had. Maybe one perfect day is all she really needs. Not that Aubrey wouldn't love to see Chloe again, wouldn't love to continue to get to know her but…maybe it's just not going to work out that way. And she tries to be okay with that.

Brad and Molly are still giving her a bit of the cold shoulder after her stunt a few days before but Aubrey really doesn't care. She also doubts that they spared much thought to her or spoiled their day trying to find her, so it's not like she can even bring herself to feel guilty. She wouldn't trade that day for anything anyway, even if Brad had decided to tell their father about her disappearing act. But of course he won't, because then he'd have to admit his own fault in the situation. So Brad and Molly just sulk and glare and Aubrey enjoys Paris.

But Paris is behind them now and they're on a train to Belgium, which is really only a pit stop on their way to Germany. Molly insisted that they go to Belgium instead of straight to Germany because she wants to get chocolate and doesn't want to be stuck on a train for that long. Aubrey rolled her eyes but figured it was pointless to bring up Molly's hypocritical statement. She probably wouldn't even seen the connection.

Aubrey has her legs stretched out in front of her, temporarily alone in the little four seat compartment. Brad and Molly have gone off to the dining car in search of lunch and Aubrey is enjoying just being by herself, watching as the French countryside passes by the window. She hates to say goodbye to Paris and, most of all, to Chloe, but she wonders what the rest of the trip will hold. She wonders what is meant to happen next.

Aubrey hears approaching footsteps but doesn't bother to look away from the window, assuming that it's just Brad or Molly returning to spoil her solitude.

"Sorry to bother you, but is that seat taken?" Questions a familiar voice.

Aubrey looks over at her and smiles.

**end. **


End file.
